Author Topic: West Highland Way  (Read 10842 times)

richardh1905

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12714
Re: West Highland Way
« Reply #30 on: 15:53:48, 05/03/20 »
A fitting end to a fine walk, Slogger.
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

Bigfoot_Mike

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2407
Re: West Highland Way
« Reply #31 on: 19:09:26, 05/03/20 »
Was that 15 miles followed by ascending Ben Nevis? That is quite a long day.

harland

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1717
Re: West Highland Way
« Reply #32 on: 20:32:37, 05/03/20 »
Was that 15 miles followed by ascending Ben Nevis? That is quite a long day.
Not for Slogger!

Jac

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3553
Re: West Highland Way
« Reply #33 on: 07:20:17, 06/03/20 »
Twenty years ago, younger and fitter we revised our itinerary to 6 days - having met up with a group of friendly RAF guys. Opportunity to good to miss :)

Milngavie - Drymen
Drymen - Rowadenan
Rowadennan - Inverarnan
Inverarnan - Bridge of Orchy
Bridge of Orchy - Kinlochleven
Kinlochleven - Ft William

Then up the Ben on the following day - a scorching hot day with glorious views, no snow even on the top.

I'm glad the finish point has been changed. ending at a roundabout or, worse, in a queue of OAPs for the toilets of the Edinburgh Wool Shop was something of an anti-climax. Now, of course I'd fit right in :)
So many paths yet to walk, so little time left

Vincent82

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 50
Re: West Highland Way
« Reply #34 on: 07:54:05, 08/03/20 »
I'll also have a day in Fort William (possibly for Ben Nevis), but I'll decide then.

Slogger

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1639
Re: West Highland Way
« Reply #35 on: 15:20:21, 08/03/20 »
Was that 15 miles followed by ascending Ben Nevis? That is quite a long day.
Yes Mike, correct. Allowing enough time, hence the 5am start from Kinlochleven, as I said to my pal, it's just one foot in front of the other and you get there.

Vincent82

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 50
Re: West Highland Way
« Reply #36 on: 06:56:11, 15/03/20 »
I've booked 9 nights for June but now wondering if I'll still be able to go ahead with the trip. If two or three hotels cancel, I'll have to cancel the whole thing. Maybe these days wild camping will be a better option?

Slogger

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1639
Re: West Highland Way
« Reply #37 on: 17:05:43, 15/03/20 »
I've booked 9 nights for June but now wondering if I'll still be able to go ahead with the trip. If two or three hotels cancel, I'll have to cancel the whole thing. Maybe these days wild camping will be a better option?
Yes, do however check on that. There have been restrictions on wild camping along the WHW, especially Loch Lomond waterside path.

Mel

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10936
Re: West Highland Way
« Reply #38 on: 23:03:22, 15/03/20 »
Why would the hotels cancel?

Vincent82

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 50
Re: West Highland Way
« Reply #39 on: 00:20:47, 16/03/20 »
Because of the virus. If it gets bad I think some might close for a bit (and also the issue of travelling by train from London). I realise there are more important things, but hiking might be one of the last things to do (if it doesn't involve travelling).

Sevenup

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 383
Re: West Highland Way
« Reply #40 on: 08:02:35, 16/03/20 »
I think the virus is likely to close down bits of the UK. Tourism to Scotland is already dropping and travel restrictions in and out of the country will have a negative effect on business. Some of the smaller hotels will struggle to survive imo. Looking at other countries, internal travel bans and home ‘confinement’ appear to be amongst the tools governments are using to try to minimise the spread of the virus. Uk is around 12 weeks behind Italy. Having said that, peak virus is suggested to be late May to mid June if we continue as other countries have. If small hotels can’t keep staff and if the staff can’t stay healthy I can see them closing for the virus period even before possible government advice in the future to stay at home.


I was hoping to do some of the Munros between Corrour and Dalwhinnie but not sure if I will get caught up in any travel restrictions in early May. Wild camping on the WHW might be the ticket if I want a walk in the first half of the year but I might not get anything until after June.

Vincent82

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 50
Re: West Highland Way
« Reply #41 on: 18:54:10, 16/03/20 »
Wild camping might be the only out-of-home activity now. Living in London, that leaves me with the North Downs Way. That's not as exciting as the West Highland Way...

Sevenup

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 383
Re: West Highland Way
« Reply #42 on: 19:03:32, 16/03/20 »
Yes. The big problem for anyone from your area will be getting north without risking train or plane as infection ramps up. One way car hire might be expensive but it could get you to Glasgow or Ft William. Of course you’d need to do the same thing on the way back from your destination. The alternative to WHW would be a circular route into knoydart using the Cape Wrath Way going via glenfinnan and returning by the Loch Ness Route.
You could also isolate yourself in a sleeper to do the same thing. I don’t think you’ll come in to contact with too many people in the west highlands but I’m not sure if you could carry enough food

Vincent82

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 50
Re: West Highland Way
« Reply #43 on: 19:14:18, 16/03/20 »
To be fair, I think I'll have to cancel if it doesn't get better. But for those who live outside of big cities hiking would be a way to escape this, if it safe to leave their house without much contact with other people.

Owen

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1760
Re: West Highland Way
« Reply #44 on: 20:52:22, 16/03/20 »
The alternative to WHW would be a circular route into knoydart using the Cape Wrath Way going via glenfinnan and returning by the Loch Ness Route.


A few years back a group of friends and I did a kayak trip into Loch Nevis. While we were at Sourlies we meet a couple who thought the Cape Wrath Trail was an extension of the WHW, which they'd done the year before. They started in Fort William, they'd been lost in Glen Desarry for three days. They were wet, cold and exhausted. Their feet were very sore with big red blisters. They made quite a pitifully sight.


The WHW is a well made footpath with waymarks, cafes and guesthouses. The Cape Wrath Trail has none of these. It's more of a concept than an actual trail, especially in Knoydart. The two are chalk and cheese. There's no easy way out of Knoydart once your in there and it gets the worst of the west coasts weather.

 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy